General A little story...

[Garree001]

Long story that doesn't really go anywhere I'm afraid, but I do have a question!

Just thought I'd share my latest car related event

I took it over to France today, which was f*cking scary! I've never driven abroad and I have decided that I hate the roundabouts, slight odd junctions and not knowing what certain obscure road signs mean Thankfully Mrs 001 was there and was able to keep me pretty much pointed in the right direction. In hindsight (and tiredness as I am typing this after being awake for over 24hrs) I would recommend that everyone give it a go... Just take someone in the vehicle with you as a second pair of eyes = very handy.

Anyway - the GP related bit...

Today almost never happened as my car decided it was going to break down again. Easter Monday at 4.00pm, just a few hours before I drive on a train first thing in the morning. This is after it having broken down on Christmas Eve and ruining my Christmas plans, too. Was not a happy bunny yesterday. Anyway, called the breakdown company again, same bloke who came out on Christmas Eve came to me again, with the apparent same non-starting issue from Christmas again. I thought I'd gone through another alternator or there was some water ingress as I'd just had the car cleaned.

T'was the battery in the end. Now finally - my question The car was only serviced a couple of weeks ago. The old battery (which was a sealed unit) appeared to have had dry cells for quite a while (no green thing in the holes). Should the garage have checked the battery as part of the service? Also, I have noticed that there's some powerdery residue on some areas where I think the battery was damaged and leaked. Do I need to worry about electrolyte powder residue stuff?

I've learned a lesson though. When checking my oil, tyre pressure, washer bottle, etc - look at the battery too. Although two weeks after a service, I wouldn't have expected a problem.

Sorry about that! Thoughts welcomed

 

[jaz]

the battery should of been tested when it went for a service u want to complain to your local garage for not doing accurate testing of battery

 

[bladecs_04]

on the powder front i just had a service and there was powder on the battery terminals and the bonnet catch is it an antirust thing?

 

[T14086]

depends where and what type of service you had. Some just check/clean terminals others test battery but if its sealed you are restricted to what the tester tells you (condition/charge).

 

[jaz]

when we do services at work we put a current through the battery and check the discharge rate so it usaly checks for faulty electrolite or dry cells

 

[punto_matt]

Dont really see why it can be blamed on the garage. If they had said it you would of probably dismissed it no and said well it seems fine to me. Battery died, hardly the end of the world is it?

 

[jaz]

Dont really see why it can be blamed on the garage. If they had said it you would of probably dismissed it no and said well it seems fine to me. Battery died, hardly the end of the world is it?

but it makes you think if they didnt test the battery properly wot else did they forget about or not do properly

 

[punto_matt]

Tbh when i think of service i dont even think of them testing the battery. I would only expect it if i had specifically asked them to look at it.

 

[jaz]

i have always been taught to test it so nothing can come back to haunt you becuse if anything goes wrong im not to blame

 

[Garree001]

To add a little more info - what made the battery die was 10 minutes of having the lights on so I could fit the beam deflectors for driving legally in France. I imagine that a discharge test would have flagged up something was wrong - as well as any visual check which is what the breakdown bloke diagnosed battery problem by (no green things). Fortunately he was able to supply a new battery there and then, or I was screwed for my trip.

Tbh when i think of service i dont even think of them testing the battery. I would only expect it if i had specifically asked them to look at it.

Right, so I adopt that attitude for other stuff - I won't ask them to check the tyres, I won't ask them to check the washer bottle fluid. Neither of those are strictly part of the service, but they do usually get done... Same with the battery.

You can't just ask them to check everything, especially if you suspect no problem. But certain stuff is covered by services, which is why I was trying to establish whether the battery is one of these.

but it makes you think if they didnt test the battery properly wot else did they forget about or not do properly

My thoughts exactly. I did see that there was clean engine oil though!

Dont really see why it can be blamed on the garage. If they had said it you would of probably dismissed it no and said well it seems fine to me. Battery died, hardly the end of the world is it?

Kind of a sweeping statement there - and why would I dismiss what a mechanic has said?? And frankly, the car ruined my Christmas and almost my easter. Not the end of the world, but then again, and in your same thought on things, technically neither is the engine exploding. Ends in the same way = car not working, buuuuut the world hasn't ended by imploding around us so we're OK.

depends where and what type of service you had. Some just check/clean terminals others test battery but if its sealed you are restricted to what the tester tells you (condition/charge).

Was the 4th year full service - including the couple of extras for that time like the brake fluid and the accessories belts I believe? Definitely was not a mid year one, or a part service.

And on the condition thing - some of the battery cells were dry. Is this something they check for when looking at the condition?

The garage didn't tell me anything/flag anything up either. Didn't even raise what the MOT station told me (and gave me an orange advisory notice for) about 3 days before the service - that my brakes and discs are part worn. Who do ya believe in this day and age

on the powder front i just had a service and there was powder on the battery terminals and the bonnet catch is it an antirust thing?

No, the area I was on about was the immediate areas below where the battery sits. Sort of everywhere you'd expect to be covered if the battery was leaking.

 

[jaz]

was the service done at fiat?.

all of this woudnt of happend if they had just tested the battery this is why i always got tought to check everything to cover myself so the customer doesnt come back saying i caused a problem

 

[T14086]

but it makes you think if they didnt test the battery properly wot else did they forget about or not do properly

battery not part of 4th year service, not on service sheet.

i ha ve always been taught to test it so nothing can come back to haunt you becuse if anything goes wrong im not to blame

Absolutely and good on you and the garage you work at, unfortunally most garages are overbooked to increase productivity (profit!) and little emphasis on the customer.

I imagine that a discharge test would have flagged up something was wrong

Yep

Right, so I adopt that attitude for other stuff - I won't ask them to check the tyres, I won't ask them to check the washer bottle fluid. Neither of those are strictly part of the service,

Actually they are, but not with vauxhall/ford who charge extra for checking tyre pressures etc...basic items really!

A.N.OTHER manufacture I was with told you fully what they were going to do then afterwards showed you what they done and put car up on ramp for you to see etc...nothing was hidden and all was upfront,open and honest.

 

[Garree001]

Yep - done by a FIAT dealer. I did try the route of independent garages, but they just saw the service time of nearly 4 hours (on some website that they all use) and started asking silly prices for the job

Getting the car serviced in accordance with the manufacturer's guidelines is actually quite difficult!

 

[adamcot]

I agree with Matt here, its not a problem with the garage. I treat the battery in the same way as engine oil and coolant, always check and keep an eye on the green dot. My first port of call when the car won't start is the battery (which I have managed to discharge a few times by accident)

Give the garage a call and ask them if they did check the battery in the service?

 

[T14086]

Getting the car serviced in accordance with the manufacturer's guidelines is actually quite difficult!

Agree, another of my 'gripes' with standards not being enforced!

 

[jaz]

I agree with Matt here, its not a problem with the garage. I treat the battery in the same way as engine oil and coolant, always check and keep an eye on the green dot. My first port of call when the car won't start is the battery (which I have managed to discharge a few times by accident)

Give the garage a call and ask them if they did check the battery in the service?

i agree ring them

i wasnt saying blame the garage as said before it isnt in the service list

as adam said check your battery every time you do your regular tyre and oil checks because it will cover you from these such problems

 

[Garree001]

Just found the paperwork from the service I thought I'd lost it, but now I am shoving with the car's other stuff for forever more

The "Visual Health Check" sheet suggests that the battery was checked and the green box, which according to the key means "Visually OK", is ticked. Obviously - no green things is not visually OK.

The brake discs/pads one is also ticked, which is what I got an advisory for during my MOT...

 

[Garree001]

And I agree with adding the battery on my regular checks. I said I learned my lesson on that one

 

[jaz]

And I agree with adding the battery on my regular checks. I said I learned my lesson on that one

dont wurry im in the trade i work on everyones car and as soon as i get home and its my car i hardly ever check my battery lol


so they did check the battery on the service?

 

[Garree001]

so they did check the battery on the service?

They did mate. Mentioned in post 17